How to Beat Simon (Expedition 33 – Step-by-Step)
Simon is the notorious endgame boss with three brutal phases. To overcome him, you need the right combo of parrying, breaking, and burst damage strategies.
Phase Breakdown & Core Strategy for Beating Simon
Simon is widely regarded as the most challenging optional boss in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, featuring three distinct phases. Each phase demands a tailored approach, combining parry mastery, break mechanics, and burst builds for success.
Phase 1 – Establish Control
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Learn Attack Patterns: Simon cycles through combos—short slash, mid-length, long slash—followed by heavier or unblockable attacks like Chroma Shift and Shield Steal
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Focus on Perfect Parries: Defense is optional—players often use break-stun builds—but mastering parry gives you AP and opens up opportunities for counters .
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Build Break Efficiently: Use stagger skills like Sciel’s Twilight Slash, Lune’s burn application, or Monoco’s break tools to chip away at Simon’s Break bar.
Phase 2 – The Make-Or-Break Stunlock Window
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Physically Overwhelming: Once Phase 2 begins (around 60–70% HP), Simon unleashes significantly faster attacks with a phantom sword doubling his combo tempo
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Stun-Lock Window is Key: Reddit success stories cite Phase 2 as the moment of reckoning—“When Simon was around 60–70% HP… a single stunlock → Gommage in Virtuose stance dealt around 28 million damage”
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Build Around Break-Survive Loops:
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Load your team with Second Chance, Cheater, and Breaking Death Luminas: these ensure player deaths fill Simon’s Break bar and trigger a stun, creating a burst window
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Use burst attacks like Maelle’s Gommage, Sciel’s Phantom Blade, or Verso’s Gradient Hits during that window to inflict massive damage quickly.
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Phase 3 – Final Strike or Smart Exit
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Stay Flexible: While Simon’s third phase introduces more aggressive patterns—especially the unblockable “Sword of Lumière”—most players avoid this stage by stunning him so effectively that Phase 2 ends him
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Only Risk It If Necessary: If you reach Phase 3, your team must maintain poise and defensive functionality, emphasizing parry mastery and shield-based pivots.
Summary Strategy Workflow
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Open with Break Tools: Immobilize Simon early using Sciel’s or Lune’s break-tier combos.
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Cast Stun-Burst Combo: Use Maelle’s Virtuoso opener during the stun window—ideally chaining Gommage when Simon is locked down.
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Recover via Tombstone Mechanics: If any character falls, the stunlock triggers again, bought via Luminas like Second Chance/Cheating.
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Avoid Phase 3: A perfectly timed Phase 2 burst should kill him before his final phase; otherwise, return with a backup party.
Simon’s fight is the ultimate test of timing, resource optimization, and build synergy. Whether you aim for a clean burst kill or solid parry-based standoff, prepare to bring your best burst chains and stamina—this fight defines mastery in Expedition 33.
Ideal Team & Pictos Setup
Suggested party comp:
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Maelle (burst mage in Virtuose stance)
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Sciel (break specialist)
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Lune or Verso for stun support and AP generation
Key Pictos & Luminas:
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Cheater, Second Chance, Break Pictos— essential for break-stun window support
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Energising Pictos
Alternative: Full Stun-Lock Cheese Build
Some players equip full AP regen & gradient stacking builds (e.g., Monoco or Verso) to lock Simon in a stun-lock loop, letting him act only once or twice This avoids parry/dodge and relies on overwhelming crowd control.
Final Tips & Takeaways
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Phase 2 break-stun combo is key—once you hit this window, chain burst damage aggressively.
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Luminas like Cheater and Second Chance are essential to maintain momentum even through character deaths.
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Parry/dodge isn’t required—if you prefer an easier path, try the stun-lock cheese build without any actual defense input.
With the right setup, Simon goes from being a wall to a stepping stone—master the break-stun loop, build your burst, and strike at the right moment. You’ve got this!
Conclusion: Mastering the Simon Boss Fight in Expedition 33
Beating Simon in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 isn’t just about raw power — it’s about preparation, positioning, and synergy. By understanding his multi-phase mechanics, fine-tuning your Picto and Lumina setup, and optimizing your team composition, you’ll not only survive the fight — you’ll conquer it with style.
If you’re looking to sharpen your party even further, don’t miss our detailed build guides:
With the right preparation and strategic execution, Simon becomes one of the most satisfying victories in the game. Ready your blade, charge your Lumina — and show Simon the full strength of your expedition.
ethugamer- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- June 27, 2025
